16 ARTS 02.10.09 The RetrIever Weekly Maryland Photographer Saddle Up, Kweller featured in Kuhn Gallery is Changing Horses

Samantha Medema Erica Balanc church. The sense of being in church STAFF WRITER STAFF WRITER is also present with the slower and steadier song which closes the album, The library gallery unveiled a new Hearing that Ben Kweller has “gone “Homeward Bound.” The lyrics “Who’s exhibit this past week, highlighting the south” may sound like a change of di- gonna carry him down?” are backed by photography of James L. Amos. Amos rection for listeners, but twenty-seven additional vocals (“Hurtin’ You” is also originally began his photography ca- year old Kweller grew up in Greenville, backed by sweet vocals which compli- reer documenting the Bay area and was Texas. Going south sounds like going ment Kweller’s) and has a more bluesy, hired by National Geographic magazine to home. He delves into a country style of blue-grass feel. cover the piece “The Sailing Oystermen music with the fourth studio album of “Sawdust” is an unusual track that of Chesapeake Bay.” After that feature, his solo career, Changing Horses, feels stands out among the rest, placing he shot numerous locations around less like an homage to his past, and the singer “on top of the Greyhound the world, capturing beautiful images more like the offi cial expression of a station” (“Won’t you pleeeeease come ranging from mountain peaks to aerial part of him that was present all along. home?”) with shifting melodies like shots of snowmobile tracks. According There still exists traces of the rock The Beatles’ “You Never Give Me Your to his bio, Amos often used a technique and folk style usually associated with Money” and a soulfulness like that ex- called “in-camera masking, [the] super- Kweller in his new album. It’s easy pressed with The Beatles’ “Yer Blues.” imposition of one image upon another to make comparisons to Van Morri- This presence of the 1960s doesn’t limit in one negative.” In-camera masking, son with upbeat tracks like “Wantin’ itself to just this track. “On Her Own” according to a web page by Rochester Her Again” or Cat Stevens with slow, captures that pop-rock sound, but of Institute of Technology’s Andrew David- smooth, simple numbers like “Ballad of course (like with everything else on hazy, “gives photographers the ability to Wendy Baker.” But Kweller’s southern this album), there’s a southern twang. place a given subject…in or against any twang has a feeling of authenticity and Despite being able to note bits of tracks background scene desired by the pho- sincerity that is completely his own and which feel like James Taylor, Van Mor- tographer,” which conceptually alone is shouldn’t be questioned. rison, Cat Stevens, The Beatles and the almost guaranteed to produce visually “Gypsy Rose” opens the album, 60s in general, it’s all thrown into the arresting images. Amos’s landscape shots slow-paced and progressively chang- south and feels like Kweller wrote the are of course compositionally beautiful, ing melody to reveal a voice that cracks songs from a familiar, personal place. but his candid shots of individuals are as it sings “Go back home.” The third In “The Ballad of Wendy Baker,” the ones I was most impressed with. track,“Fight,” changes tempo, upbeat Kweller sings: “I’m the one who likes The photo “Return of Pueblo Crew” dis- COURTESY JAMES L. AMOS and as down-on-the-farm as the album change, but I feel taken by surprise.” plays a tearful young man returning to > “Prayer before lunch with Captain Clifton Webster on the ‘Maggie Lee’” is going to get, with a repetition of its Taken out of context, that line could his family, and the people and emotions 1967, by James L. Amos. On display until March 24. title (“You’ve got to fi ght, fi ght fi ght...”) perfectly sum up how some fans may captured are raw and genuine. Likewise, her with casual but certain interest. And gallery, both landscape shots and candid which sounds like an anthem that react to Changing Horses. The essence his shots of individuals in pubs convey yet, this photo doesn’t alienate the view- ones of individuals, both black and white would be sung at a southern Baptist of country and that southern twang a refreshing realism. These people are er. The emotions shown in these peoples’ photos and rich color photos, because was present in Kweller’s music before, couples candidly expressing affection, faces are real and relatable, thus includ- the emotional response is undeniable but Changing Horses embraces it with- or men and women simply socializing, ing the viewer regardless of the context. when looking at them. And, like a good out asking for forgiveness and fans and there is nothing fancy or superfi cial Amos clearly has a talent for capturing piece of music, they are meaningful and (whether they like change or not) may about these photos, but it isn’t needed. the uninhibited emotions and essences stick with you. These photos seem sim- be taken by surprise. Whether this is a The photos and the individuals in them of people in their natural settings, and it ple, but are cleverly disguised as such. In one-album thing (perhaps something speak for themselves. A photo entitled is these photos that stand out to me the actuality, they are beautiful, true images he felt he had to do), or just how it’s go- “Red Light District,” taken (you guessed most. As stated by Amos in his bio, he of real people and real places. I consider ing to be for now on, Kweller’s Changing it) in the red light district in Amsterdam, “thinks that both photography and music myself a fan of Amos’s work already and I Horses reveals an artist who feels com- still successfully engages the viewer, even require emotions in making them--if you defi nitely recommend checking out this fortable with his change. If he’s found though the subject of the photo might be do not feel something, then no one is go- exhibit while you can. his place, it’s up to listeners to decide if considered a bit risqué. In the photo, a ing to feel any emotion when they look at they want to stay there with him. woman sits on a window ledge next to your image or listen to the music.” Amos COURTESY ALTO RECORDS > Ben and co. play at the 9:30 Club a beaming red light and is engaged in a evidently felt something of signifi cance Comments can be sent to Comments can be sent to on Feb. 26. glance with a male passersby, who regards when taking the images on display in the [email protected]. [email protected]. The 51st Grammys leave nation incredulous

and Green. J.T. and T.I. both performed ten about when Kanye West and Estelle Then there were the acts that but thankfully Stevie was an infl atable Derek Roper “Dead and Gone,” which was a soul and performed “American Boy.” Both voices should’ve been called a fumble. device that kept them afl oat. “Very Su- STAFF WRITER rap infused touchdown. played very well off of one another Somebody should have gotten the perstitious,” was performed very well, If the Grammys were a sports game, and given that this was live it sounded mess known as Kid Rock off the stage; even with the Brothers singing along. It The Pro Bowl of the music industry, it would be an all star throwdown. pretty darn good. Estelle’s unique voice his performance was awful. “Amen,” is is a shame that the boys couldn’t sing the 51st annual Grammy awards, aired Coldplay’s Chris Martin did a duet with soars and more of the fl eeting songbird not going to help him, nor are the imag- their own song well but did very well on on Sunday. U2 kicked off the show with Jay-Z and then opened up into the main should be heard. es of the children that were displayed on Wonder’s song— karaoke, anybody? the song “Get on Your Boots.” The per- course with “Viva La Vida.” The rest of The rap version of Oceans 13 -- T.I., the screen behind him. As punishment, Bi-curious anthem, “I Kissed a Girl formance was an energetic arrow that the band appeared raggedly dressed and Kanye West, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and he also sang an array of other songs, in- and I Liked It,” by Katty Perry was re- only Bono and the gang can release released kinetic energy, like they always M.I.A. -- performed “Swagger like Us,” cluding the want-to-be summer anthem freshing after the disasters before it. If from the quiver. The show was an array do. The performance proved that they which was a show in and of itself. All “All Summer Long.” the show was judged on showmanship of musical colors, so to speak. Most of rightfully earned “Song of the Year” and those heavy hitters together made a Disney play list staples, Taylor Swift then Perry would have won, although the performances were good but there “Best Rock Album.” blitz. Past, present, and future was nev- and Miley Cyrus belted out “Fifteen,” her sultry voice doesn’t sound as good were some which left viewers asking There is always that play in football er more glaring than that performance. which would have been OK except live compared to her recordings, which “why?” that leaves one asking what just hap- M.I.A. was due to have her baby on Miley should have stayed out and let is a shame because the song is good. It Aside from the questionable fi rst pened, but at the end one has to think Sunday and still managed to pump out Swift run the show. Swift’s smooth vo- was a little broken but that could have winner, what was more questionable that was pretty good. Well, Carrie Un- some jarring, in your face shots. cals clashed with Cyrus’ off-tune rough been because she was running around was the pairing of Justin Timberlake, Al derwood managed to pull one of those Newcomer and “Best New Artist,” pop voice. If this had been an Idol audi- the stage. Green, Keith Urban, and Boys II Men at plays off. She sang “Last Name,” which Adele, belted out “Chasing Pavements,” tion, then Simon would have made the All in all it was a good game and the fi rst glance. The opening between Jus- started off-kilter and was not pleasing at with country duo Sugarland. Jennifer dreadful comment. score came out with more good plays tin and his childhood idol, Green, was all, but the rest of the song starting at the Nettles’ thick voice blended well with Every little girl’s and some college than bad ones. Hey, it was better than harmonic and soulful bliss. Can some- chorus went without a hitch. The song the melancholy sound of Adele. Just like girls’ (you know who you are) fantasy, the MTV music awards. one get them a track laid down now? is a mash-up modern version of Loretta Timberlake and Green, this is another the Jonas Brothers performed “Burnin’ A touchdown was the fact that Urban Lynn and Tammy Wynette songs. collaboration that should happen in the Up” with Stevie Wonder. Like the lyr- Comments can be sent to and the gang left the vocals up to J.T. Their past performances were forgot- near future. ics of the song state; they went under, [email protected].